Improvement in bee-hives



- moved. Fic. 2 represents a vertical section 'Uurrnn erstes DANIEL M. GRIFFITH, OF ALUM BANK, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,843, dated Juno 13, 187i.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. GRIFFITH, of Alu-m Bank, county oi' Bediord and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain n ew an d useful Improvements in BeeHives, of which the following is aspeciiication:

My invention relatesv to an improved construction of hives for bees; und has for its object to facilitate the cleansing ot' thehiveby the bees by so constructing the bottom board that it will be upon an incline, causing moths, Worms, refuse, and dirt to roll out at the open ing, as more fully hereafter shown. lt has for its further object to enable the bees to be removed from the hive by means oi' a large side door, whereby the entire hive is laid open, thus obviating the danger ot' iniuring the bees by the process of removal. It-has also for its further object a more perfect ventilation oi' the hive and a more perfect regulationof the ternperature thereof, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, which, vvith the letters and figures marked thereon, forms part of this specification, Figure l represents a vertical cross-section of a hive constructed according to my plan with the cap or cover refrom front to rear oi' same with cap or cover vadj usted to its place. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of the same with cap or cover in its place. Fig. e represents a horizontal section, partly upon the line A B of Fi g. 2 and partly upon the line y got' the same figure. rlhe side door is represented as partly opened.

Genertel Description.

, In the drawing, A represents a square frame or box, composed of four sides and four legs or corner-pieces, e a.. This frame declines from rear to front at top so as to form an inclined plane,upon which rest-s the bottom of the hive G. Said bottom extends somewhat to the front ofthe hive and 'forms a shelf or step, upon which the bees may alight before entering. lo the rear y.and upper edge of the bottom U is hinged, by the hinges b, the body B of the hive, which is open at top and bottom, and which is so constructed as that the top is horizontal While the bottom tits the inclined piece U so as to make a weather-close joint. Openings i'orthe ingress and egress of the bees are prov seen in Fi 2.

ledge, d, and swinging entirely olearfrom sides and bottom of the hive and from one another. The lower parts of said frames are made inclined to conform to the incline of bottom C. F is a rectangular box or swarm-ca toller, pierced at bottom by the oblong openings Gr G and at the top by the ventilator L, and furnished in iront with a glass-covered opening, H. J is an outside cover-or protector, which nts over the honey-cap or swarm-catcher, large enough to leave a space on every side, as Will be clearly vWhen it is desired to Warm the bees in Winter by the suns rays, this cover is tilted back until the glass Windows H are eX- posed. When this cover is placed over the swarm-catcher, the space between it and the said catcher, being filled with air, acts as a nonconducter, thus keeping the hive Warm in cold Weatlnr and cool in Warm weather. An entire side, K, of the hive above the part A is hinged with good substantial hinges so that it may be.

danger of loss which attends the ordinary mode of removing or hiving a swarm.

It will be readily seen that a hive made after my plan will always have a thorough upward ventilation. In my hive the pure air enters at the lower opening E and passes upward around and between the comb-iframe D, through the openings G G in the honey-cap, thence upward through the ventilatorin the top of the honeyeep or swarm-catcher, and, inally, out at the perforated plate M in front of the protectingcovcr. This ventilation may be regulated or entirely shu't oit' bythe sliding doors @and cover m, as will be readily understood upon reference to 'Fi g. 3.

When it is desired to examine und cleanse the hive more thoroughly th an can be readily done through the door K, it is only necessary to tilt the hive back upon its hinge b Wh enthe Whole surface of the bottom C will be-exposed and may be easily and perfectly cleansed from' all foulne-ss.

I am aware that the several parts which compose my hive are ol d, in themselves considered; therefore Ido not claim them individually; but

What I claim as new7 and desire to secure by Letters Patent7 is The arrangementof the part A, inclined bot- 

